Dr Funkenstein

At the helm of the Parliament Funkadelic mothership in 2015 remains Dr Funkenstein himself, George Clinton – a musical innovator and visionary who continues now in his 70’s like he always has, to put his paw prints into our present, past and future of music. On stage in the live arena George Clinton now like always, facilitates, directs, performs, sings and shakes his ass with that innately-oozing musical and manly style, panache and cool he is loved and respected for by millions of people around the world.

P Funk in 2015

Alongside George Clinton on Australian stages, keepin’ the funk, glorious funk alive and well as promised is a fresh, multi-generational collective of 14+ super-talented cats from P Funk days of old and new. I’m gonna name the artists I can and apologise to any I miss crediting for their awe-inspiring chops that put a smile on everyone’s faces during the entire Sydney show and long thereafter.

The spaceship might not make an appearance on stages these days but a Parliament Funkadelic show would not be that, without the appearance of one or more of its beloved characters. This time George Clinton brought along Starchild’s nemesis from days of old – the vain, “too-cool-for-everything-real” pimpster Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk (in 2015, aka Carlos McMurray). Before the night was done there was nothing for Sir Nose to do of course but succumb to the funk and get down and dirty with the best of them.

Check out this video from the Sydney show featuring Sir Nose.

George Clinton maintains Parliament Funkadelic has kept its musical currency throughout its long history by keeping a focus on the younger generation of artists who’ve formed part of the ever-changing collective at different times. True to that belief the Sydney set was opened with a medley of First Ya Gotta Shake The Gate tracks collaboratively performed by George Clinton and his younger P Funk counterparts. Check out a video here of the ‘Pole Power‘/‘Baby Like Fonkin’ It Up’/ ‘Get Low’ medley plus a [dirty mp3] sample of the album version of ‘Pole Power’ below.

After a short taste of new Parliament Funkadelic music, the rest of the Sydney set was made up of the most well-known and popular songs of old like ‘Flashlight’ and ‘Give Up The Funk’. There was just so much incredible musical shit constantly happening all over the stage during the entire set that (impossibly) I wanted to hear, see and to dance with eyes closed to every single sound played.

I once read a review of a Parliament Funkadelic concert where the writer said their 90-minute set made the gig too long. Surely no true funkateer would think, feel or say that? George Clinton & Paliament Funkadelic played brilliantly for two blissful hours in Sydney and it was but a minuscule of the vast, beloved Parliament Funkadelic catalogue. I could have funked out with them all night long and then some.

Many thousands of funkateers will be blessed tomorrow to get their own glorious dose of George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic playing live at Byron Bay Bluesfest.

For those who won’t, the consolation prize is this here final video from Parliament Funkadelic’s Sydney show.

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